Automatic feeding device for graphite or the like



B. u. HILLS. AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR GRAPHITE OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. h 1918.

Patented July 19,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET B. U. HlLLS. AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR GRAPHITE OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11 I918.

Patented July 19, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z- be fed continuously in earner BURTON U. HILLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed April 1, 1818.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BURTON U. HILLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Automatic Feeding Devices for Graphite or the like, of which the following is a. description.

lV y invention relates to means for feeding graphite, mica or other material in a finely divided or comminuted state to the cylinders of internal combustion engines or other bearing surfaces or places as desired.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, reliable, convenient and serviceable device of the kind described whereby the finely flaked or powdered material may any desired quantitles and operating entirely automatically.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like or similar reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts. 7

Figure 1 is an elevation of an internal combustion engine showing my device attached to the intake manifold in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of my device.

1 Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

F ig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the inlet nozzle and valve of my device taken substantially on line ll of Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing a slightly modified form of my device.

*ig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another slightly modified form of my device.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Figs. 4: and 5 and showing another slight modification.

In the form shown my improved feeder comprises a receptacle 1 having a base 2 and a cap 3 and a transparent tubular body 4 positioned between the base and cap with gaskets 5 and 6 between the ends of the body part and the base and cap respectively. The base 2 is preferably a disk shaped member slightly concave on its upper side and provided with a laterally projecting marginal flange 7 at its upper edge adapted to overlap the gasket 5 and the lower end of the bedy part a slightly to maintain the parts Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J uily 19, 1921. Serial No. 225,951.

in position and form this point.

A central tubular projection 8 is provided on the lower face of the base 2 having a part screw threaded as at 9 or otherwise formed, or provided with means for securing the receptacle in position when in service.

he cap 3 is also preferably disk shaped and concave on its lower side with a marginal flange 10 substantially similar to the flange 7 of the base and adapted to serve substantially the same purpose.

The cap 3 is also provided with a central opening 11 extending therethrough and an annular face 12 surrounding the opening 11 adapted to cooperate with a nut 14- upon the upper end of a central stem 15 rigidly secured to the base 2 for rigidly maintaining t e cap in position. The stem 15 is preferably tubular and screwthreaded at its lower end or otherwise provided with suitable means for rigidly securing the same to the base 2 while the upper end of the stem is provided with an internally threaded portion as at 16 adapted to cooperate with a screw 17 having a tapering part 18 at its lower end adapted to extend past the opening 19 through the wall of the stem slightly below the cap 3 to serve trolling the flow of fluid from the receptacle into the stem. A convenient head 20 is provided at the upper end of the screw 17 and a jam nut 21 is mounted upon the screw adapted to cooperate with the upper end of the stem 1 to lock the screw in its adjusted. position.

Any suitable means may be provided to admit air or other fluid to the interior of the receptacle 1. As shown a tubular head 22 is rigidly secured to the cap 3 extending a suitable finish at as a valve for con- 3 transversely therethrough and a tubular part 23 is threaded or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner end of the member 22 with its lower end slightly-above the inner face of the base 2. In the preferred construction the lower end of the tubular part 28 is flattened as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and curved slightly so thatfluid entering the receptacle through themember will be directed at an angle toward the inner face of the base through a substantially radial slot thereby tending to createa current of air substantially parallel to the periphery of the receptacle. Suitable means are also provided to prevent the escape of air or fluld from tr; receptacle through the inlet opem manifold.

I respects as hereinbefore ing. For this purpose the head 22 is provided with a chamber 25 near its upper enc and a valve 26 is positioned in the chamber having a part at its upper end adapted to cooperate with the upper wall of the chamber to prevent the escape of air therethrough from the receptacle while permitting the air to freely pass therethrough into the receptacle. A spring 27 extends from the upper end of the tubular part 23 to a part upon the valve 26 to normally maintain the valve in closed position. In the preferred construction also an orifice 28 is provided through the cap 3 and a plug 29 is provided adapted to tightly fill the orifice so that graphite or other material may be conveniently introduced into the receptacle when desired. When thus constructed the receptacle 1 is preferably partially filled with graphite or other finely divided material which it is desired to feed. The plug 29 is inserted and the receptacle is attached to the device to which the material in the receptacle is to be fed, for example, in the form shown in Fig; 1 it is desired to feed graphite to thecylinders of an internal combustion motor and for this purpose my improved feeder is attached to the intake manifold of the motor near the carbureter. hen the motor is in operation the suction in the intake manifold is communicated to the interior of the receptacle and air enters the receptacle through the inlet 2223 thus agitating the graphite in the receptacle and causing it to pass with the air through the opening 19 into the tubular stem 15 and thence into the intake manifold where it mingles with and is carried by, the combustible mixture flowing through the manifold into the several cylinders. The amount of graphite is controlled by adjusting the screw 17 and in order to avoid an accumulation of graphite on the walls of the passage leading to the' manifold, a small orifice 30 may be providedthrough the wall ofthe projection 8 to permit a small amount of air to enter the passage at this point thus increasing the flow of air through the passage and sweeping any accumulation'of graphite adhering to the walls of the passage into the In the form shown in ig. 5 my device is substantially constructed in all described except that the member 31 corresponding to the head 22 in the form hereinbefore described is provided with an extension, 32 at the exterior of the receptacle and'a pipe'33 ,is attached thereto and connected to a suitable source of air or other fluid under pressure so that in case it is desired to feed graphite or other finely divided material to a space where there is no suction or where the suction is sov slight as not to provide satisfactory flow of fluid through the several parts of my device the air or other fluid may vent their escape hearing or other be supplied through the pipe 33 the fluid being forced into the receptacle and obviously operating in all respects substantially as hereinbefore described.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the several parts are shown substantially the same as in Fig. 5 except that the regulatin screw is entirely omitted and a nut 34: su stantiall y corresponding with the nut 14 is formed to operate as a cap to close the upper end of the stem 15. In this form a regulating valve 35 of any suitable form or construction is provided in the tube 36 leading to the fluid inlet of my receptacle so that the flow of fluid to the receptacle may be controlled by the valve 35 as desired, thus obviously operating substantially as hereinbefore described. In the form shown in Fig. 7 the several parts are constructed and arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 6 except that in this form a sleeve 38 is provided extending through the cap 3 and a tubular member 39 is rotatably mounted in the sleeve38 with a curved tubular part 40 substantially the same as the member 23 hereinbefore described attached to its lower end. head a1 is provided at the upper end of the mem-- ber 39 for rotating the inlet member 39 in the sleeve and a set-screw 4:2 or other suitable means is provided for locking the sleeve in its adjusted position. In this form the regulation of the feed is accomplished by slightly rotating the inlet member and the part 10 so as to toward the periphery of the receptacle or toward the center as it is desired to decrease or increase the feed, that is, if it is desired to decrease the feeding of material the mem-v ber is so turned as to direct the current of fluid entering the receptacle toward the periphery of the receptacle where the centrifugzl force of the eddying material'in the receptacle will force the eddying particles of graphite or other material outward and prethrough the opening 19.

To increase the feeding of material the member 10 is turned to direct thecurrent of air toward the center of the receptacle thus decreasing the eddying action and'per'mit ting the particles to readily flow with the air through the opening 19 in the stem 15. 7 Having thus described my improvement it is obvious that various immaterial modifi: cations may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish to beunderstoodas limiting myself to the exact form. or construction shown. 7

. What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: j v

1. A device of the kind described comprising a receptable adapted to contain a comminuted material, means projecting into the receptacle for discharging the fluid therein at a point adjacent thebottom-and toward mg a mixture agitating the material,

the periphery thereof, and means for directof said material suspended 1n said fluid from said receptacle.

In a device of the kind described and in combination, a fluid-tight receptacle adapted to contain a comminuted material, means nozzle at its lower end exreceptacle from near the periphery thereof for directing fluid into said receptacle near the bottom thereof and toward the periphery, and means for directing a mixture of said material suspended in saiil fluid from the upper part of said receptac e. 3. A device of the kind described compristo contain a comceptacle toward the perlphery thereof and and means for directing a mixture of said material suspended in the fluid from the receptacle.

In a device of the kind described and in combination, a substantially fluid-tight receptacle having a tubular stem upon its base forming an outlet passage connected thereto near the upper end thereof, means projecting into the receptacle from near the periphery thereof. to a point adjacent the bottom of the receptacle for admitting the fluid to said receptacle, and means operable from the exterior of the receptacle for controlling the movement of the material passing through the said outlet passage. v

5. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a substantially fluid-tight receptacle having an outlet passage connected thereto on the interior near the upper end with the movement of the ling the directing of said nozzle.

receptacle through said outlet passage.

7 n a device of the kind described and in a substantially fluid-tight receptacle having an outlet passage extending signed my name in the presence of two suh scriblng witnesses.

BURTON U. HILLS.

Witnesses ROBERT M. LUCAS, BLANCHE CHALMERS. 

